You can visit a chat with Mikhail's Youzhny coach Boris Sobkin and ask him for any questions.
Link: http://chat.sport-express.ru/ (http://) or perhaps this one http://chat-tennis.sport-express.ru/ (http://) (on the site of main russian sport newspaper)
Time: February 1st, 13:30 (Moscow time, so 11:30 european time).

Fergie

01-31-2005, 08:01 PM

Thanks a lot for the info :yeah:

Hangdog

02-01-2005, 07:54 PM

The tekst of the chat (sorry, but some news're not very good):

How do you appraise game of Russian tennis players in Australia?
Men’s game was very good, women’s – average.

Who, how do you think, from Russian juniors can do some sensation in this year?
From boys – I’m afraid nobody. But I want to be wrong. But there’re so many girls, I just don’t know all of them. Perhaps, Tchakvetadze and Kirilenko.

How does Misha feel himself and what’re your plans for the nearest future?
Not very good. His injury claims for long time recovery, so now it’s possible to say that we won’t play in Marseille next week. Further plans’re going to depend of his health.

Tell, please, who Mikhail Youzhny is out of the court? If he unaided enough or his family decides everything without himself? What’s his character?
Out of the court Misha is well behaved young man. Regarding often he visits theaters, cinema. Read a lot. Absolutely unaided. Character’s explodable (*well, there isn’t this word in English… but this equivalent, able to explode, is the most close to coach’s words that means Misha can suddenly change his mood from absolutely calm to.. really angry, for example; yeah, of course, you know!*). Is character of champion. He dislike to lose anywhere, in anything and for anybody. Exceedingly decent man he is.

What does Misha like to do in routine life? Perhaps he plays football or collects marks, doesn’t he? What does he prefer from literature?
Misha is very active fan of CSKA in all sports (there’re football team, basketball, volleyball and some other teams in Moscow that called “CSKA”; at least football CSKA you have to know, connection Chelsea-Abramovich-CSKA…), likes to play football very much, read classical literate either detectives.

With what elements of game he works more in his trainings?
During the last camp we were taking more attention for his serve and game near net. But we didn’t forget about all other elements.

What tournaments of year 2005 are most important for Mikhail Youzhny?
Firstly, there are tournaments of ‘supernine’ and Grand Slam. Grass, ground or something else – that’s not very important for Misha.

What Russian and European tennis players have a friendship with Mikhail Youzhny?
Misha has really good friendship with all russian players and with Schuetler from Europe.

Is it possible to invite Misha in chat? It’ll be so interesting…
Theoretically, yes it is. But on practice it’s very difficult because of catastrophically not enough time.

What languages know Misha?
English. (*hehe, and not Russian? Is he sure? lol*)

Where was Misha during his last holidays (November, yeah?)?
He was in Maldives that time.

What rank Misha’s going to take this season?
That’s not important for us. On first place is level of game.

How often does he play mixt and double matches? Is it useful or not for his single game?
He’s never played mixt. We play doubles as often as it’s possible because it makes more perfect his game.

How is in “Youzhny’s team” and travels with him?
It’s me only how travels with him. But other persons from his team are physical coach Oleg Mosjakov, doctor Sergei Jasnitsky, massager Dmitry Scharipov.

When it’ll be possible to visit his official web site?
Before he’ll become a pensioner (joke!).

If Mikhail has some “not comfortable” rivals?
No. Fortunately, he hasn’t.

I think Youzhny is like Federer in his manner of play. Does he learn something from Switzerland player or it’s naturally for him?
I’m agree. And we try to took the best from lots of players.

What does he drink between the games in match?
Well, last time we use drink of honey and lemon.

How many kilograms of bananas does eat player during the tournament?
It depends of tournament. And of quality of bananas. (*lol*)

Is it possible for Russia to win Davis Cup this year.
Yes, it’s.

What tournament Mikhail likes more and what – less?
More – in Russia, less – places where he lose.

What tennis players of present or past are like idols for Youzhny?
In his childhood his idol was Adberg, because of his behavior on court and out of court. But nobody’s in manner of play.

When Misha’s going to return on the court?
In the best case it’ll be after 2-3 weeks.

Is it difficult psychologically for Mikhail to play to somebody who has positive balance after their previous meetings?
We don’t pay attention on it. Sometimes negatives balance is more dangerous than positive.

And the last sentence of Boris Lvovitch Sobkin: “Thanks, guys! Give us enough curses if it’s possible (Russian think that their favorites will play better if they give them lots curses during the match)”.